A common question that we are asked is “what is the heat remediation process?”. This is a great question that we will be more than happy to dive into with this blog!
Once we receive a call or an email from a customer the first thing that we always do is schedule and inspection. The inspection is free and we always try to perform it within 24 hours of the call. Once we arrive to the property we inspect the entire home from top to bottom. We typically do like to start with whichever room the customer is having the largest issues with and plan our treatment specifications around that. If the sheets and blankets are not removed from the mattress we will need to pull those back and inspect the bare mattress and box spring. Bedbugs are attracted to carbon monoxide and are very lazy which is why the are often times found near the headboard of a bed.
After confirming that the structure does have a bedbug infestation, we will count the amount of rooms needing to be treated and go over the rates with the customer. Once the agreement has been signed and payment has been received we will give the customer a preparation sheet and schedule the service. The prep work MUST be completed before the treatment is performed and includes things such as removing all aerosol cans, removing sprinkler system is there is one, removing bedding and clothing from dressers and running them through a dryer cycle, etc. We try to schedule the services within 24-48 hours of the inspection as with bedbugs, sooner is better than later.
When we arrive to perform the service we will need the home to be vacated for the remainder of the treatment (between 3-5 hours). Once we confirm that the home is prepped for treatment, we will remove the heaters and fans from the trailer and begin to slowly raise the temperature in the house to 130-140 degrees Fahrenheit. If there is only 1 infested room we will be using an electric heater which is powered by 8 110v outlets and placed directly in the room of service. If there is more than 1 room that needs to be treated then we will be using out 990,000 BTU propane heater. This unit is kept outside of the home. We run ducting from the heater through the front door and into as many rooms as needed to perform a successful treatment. Depending on how the structure is set up, we will sometimes run the duct work through windows as well. The electric heater is capable of heating up to 600SQFT and the propane heater is capable of heating up to 4,000SQFT. If the property does not have a power source, do not worry, we have a generator that is capable of powering all of our equipment if need be.
After the temperature has remained at lethal temperature for 2-3 hours we will turn off the heaters and allow the structure to cool off. Temperatures are measure by wifi powered remote thermometers that link directly to an ipad in the technicians vehicle. The temperature readings are real time so we always know exactly what the temperature is inside the home. This allows for a precise heat remediation treatment.
Once the temperatures are lowered and the equipment is loaded back up, the service has been successful completed and the customer is good to enter back into the home! Our services are 100% effective so you can rest assured and comfortably the evening following the service!
We hope this helps!
Georgia Bedbug Solutions